Gay, lesbian and transgender activists and sympathisers, draped in rainbow flags, took part in a procession of floats through the Mediterranean coastal city blasting out electronic music.

Tel Aviv city hall said this marked 20 years since the municipality first organised a public event for the homosexual community.

But this year’s march was overshadowed by a surprise twist in the investigation of the 2009 double murder in a Tel Aviv gay youth centre, when a masked, black-clad gunman opened fire on a group of young people at the entrance, killing two people and wounding 15.